The Siege (L'Assedio)

About This Title

Written when Ms. Bortolani was fifteen years old, The Siege (L’Assedio) is driven by a brazen, exuberant voice and linguistic acrobatics not unlike that of the most celebrated European teen prodigy poet—Arthur Rimbaud. Phantasmagorical and surreal, the poems move us through the chameleon-shadings of lust and love, as well as over the serpentine line between memory and desire. The Siege is translated by Michael Palma, one of the country’s leading translators of contemporary Italian poetry. Italian poet Alfredo de Palchi has written the introduction to this bilingual collection.

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Forge me. As sword or as bread, mind, ivy wreath.

Melt me. As milk or as copper, and hair forever vibrant.

My sweet, seduce storms for the rough wishful research of your crow's shoulder blades, of your shattered body succulent peel of a still unripe fruit.